Peasants Want Terms To Be Fulfilled By Investors In Lanchkuti Villages.

20.07.2012

Nino Mshvidobadze, Guria

At the beginning of the year, Lanchkuti district administration members were saying that Turkish investors would have come to lease lands for developing different kinds of crops. Turkish investors, with residents’ permission, started planting cornfields in 3 villages of Lanchkuti district: Jurkveti, Lesasa, and Chibata.

As it was declared to Humanrights.ge, village deputies served as mediators between Turkish investors and resident people of these villages. By oral agreement for each one thousand meter of land, either 50 kg of corn should be given or 20 lari. Despite this, Turkish investors abolished the agreement.

We talked to peasants who would not disclose their names. They revealed their names in private conversation but they said that if their names are publicized they may encounter problems.

Jurkveti resident peasant says that he received only 40 kg of corn and not 50 as it was agreed. The situation is complicated due to that fact that there was no written agreement between two sides.

Resident of village Lesi said that nobody gave him money or corn. “I was in extreme conditions. I was unable to tillage the land that’s why I decided to give the land to Turks. I absolutely know that for each one thousand meter 50 kg corn or 20 lari is a small amount. At first it was only an oral agreement. They promised that the agreement would be signed but right now no agreement had been signed nor I have I received my money or corn. I don’t want to leaves this situation like this.”

A cornfield of village Chibatis resident is also cultivated by Turkish investors. “In Chibati they have taken more than 70 acres, and we were unable to cultivate it because everything is so expensive that the only thing we had left to do was to give lands to the Turkish investors. They promised to give us 20 lari for each one thousand meters and in our village nobody promised us about corn before. After long time of waiting they appeared and gave me the full amount of money and we signed an agreement. Since April I could not enter my land. I know that in other villages they did not act like this and I hope they will start fulfilling their duties.”

In village Jurkveti, we were told that police are keeping foreign investors safe. The police visit them every day and they ask if any of villagers disturb them. We haven’t disturbed anyone. They have disturbed us and left us without anything.

On the Lanchkuti administration website it is written: “Turkish firm Serafim, whose leaders are Memed and Iusuf Cmaburs brothers of Laz origins, became interested to developing agriculture system in Lanchkuti. They met village administration and said that Lanchkuti had a great future for developing agriculture. They want to take several acres with lease agreement to develop soy and rapsis (technical culture, used for fuel oil).”

Georgian Dream Lanchkuti leader Soso Bolkvadze said that they used people material conditions. These Turkish investors were here 3 years ago and to start a frog business, but they were unable to buy land and when they saw that people were without money they decided to use their current situation as an advantage. There was oral agreement but as people say they are breaking this agreement. I think that investors will start talking soon about buying lands. Bolkvadze says they are talking about 250 acres and that this is not small land for the Lanchkuti distirct.

Before elections, political parties have a good chance to show people their perspectives on agriculture. In this situation, the National Party and Lanchkuti administration have to talk with society about what Turkish investors are going to do with their lands. Opposition parties have a good chance to give their point of views on how they will settle this problem if they win elections.